Sign up today for Post Pro Picks, The Post's free, weekly NFL pick 'em game, where you can win great prizes, form groups to play against your friends, see how you fare against our experts or just play for fun. Register at http://washingtonpost.com/pro-picks

Redskins and Texans share coaching ties

On Wednesday, the Redskins will put the victory over Dallas behind them and begin preparations to host the Houston Texans in Week 2.

There are many ties between the teams, beginning with the head coaches. Houston Coach Gary Kubiak formerly served as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos under Coach Mike Shanahan, who is in his first season with the Redskins. Shanahan also coached Kubiak, a onetime Broncos backup quarterback.

Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan served on Kubiak's Texans staff for four seasons, rising to offensive coordinator last season. Quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur, assistant special teams coach Richard Hightower and strength and conditioning coach Ray Wright all have worked for the Texans' organization. Houston defensive coordinator Frank Bush coached linebackers on Shanahan's staff in Denver. In addition, Tony Wyllie, senior vice president, was a vice president with Houston.

"Frank Bush was with me for a number of years as a position coach, as a special teams coach," Shanahan said the other day. "I know, obviously, Gary [Kubiak] and the staff there as well. They know me, so I am not sure if there are any big advantages, but we do know each other."

The game also will be a welcome reunion for Kubiak.

"Well, first off it's respect," Kubiak said of his relationship with Shanahan. "He's a Hall of Fame football coach and I'm glad to see him back in the game. For me sitting at home watching him there and getting after it again, it's a good feeling.

"But he's got a fine football team. And obviously, some of our [former] coaches are there, Kyle, Richard Hightower is there. Matt is there, so a lot of our past is there. So it'll be a good football game and a big test for us on the road."

I'd like to see team use Darrel Young more as backup fb. Sellers is fine as a lead blocker, but we shouldn't be passing to him. Poor hands, and fumbles too often. Let's use both backs, but throw to DY.

Shanny Jr. is a big advantage this week. If Haney is in fact the greedy fat bastard we all know him to be, then he could take one hell of a bit out of the weekly NFL spotlight by stuffing up the middle on The Beercan (Foster). Foster broke his longer runs by way of cutbacks right up the middle. This is a chance for Haney to be thought of as an all-pro again rather than just a slovenly thief who doesn't even WANT to play football anymore.

I'd like to see team use Darrel Young more as backup fb. Sellers is fine as a lead blocker, but we shouldn't be passing to him. Poor hands, and fumbles too often. Let's use both backs, but throw to DY.

Posted by: frediefritz | September 14, 2010 2:17 PM | Report abuse
==============================
Sellers is not fine as a lead blocker and now he's lost the ability to catch. He's either too high or whiffs the block altogether. Yes, Darrel Young should start.

I'd like to see team use Darrel Young more as backup fb. Sellers is fine as a lead blocker, but we shouldn't be passing to him. Poor hands, and fumbles too often. Let's use both backs, but throw to DY.

Posted by: frediefritz

agreed, I think Young was dinged up this week, but I like that Shanahan kept someone to push Sellers -- and replace him if he can't do it.

Sellers has always been a liability with the football. But its all about blocking ... for either guy.

Fumbles, an INT, delay of game penalties, 4 yard check down passes on 3rd and 10, teammates questioning his leadership... Miss Understood-Jason Campbell's new game, same as his old game. And Jason Reid, you're late with a who's to blame, Campbell article! Jim Zorn must be involved, get on it!

The Redskins will NOT be a force to be reckoned with until they show they can score more than 20 points per game and play good D - something they still have not shown even though I hope for that as much as I hope to get laid on a Friday night.

Hate to say it, but expect Foster will expose AH92 for being the fat, lazy and out of shape player we all know him to be.

Most teams know that AH92 is the weak link to the Washington defense -- in that he clearly doesn't want to be int he burgundy and gold, out on the field, or playing either the NT or DE positions.

Most teams also know the best way to break off a sure 5 or 6 yards is to run it right up the gut at the fat guy -- who will typically line up out of position and then go the wrong way.

Dallas was doing it easily against AH92 last weekend, but then for some inexplicable reason, went away from the run game. Can't expect the Texans to make the same mistake.

Shanahan the elder knows this -- and recognizes the only way to minimize this vulnerability is to minimize the amount of time AH92 is on the field.

So like last week, don't expect to see the fat guy out there for more than a handful or two of plays -- and only then when the starting d-linemen need a breather -- or if and when the game is so far out of reach, one way or another -- that playing AH92 just doesn't matter any more.

Fumbles, an INT, delay of game penalties, 4 yard check down passes on 3rd and 10, teammates questioning his leadership... Miss Understood-Jason Campbell's new game, same as his old game. And Jason Reid, you're late with a who's to blame, Campbell article! Jim Zorn must be involved, get on it!

Posted by: sheik1

saw the Raider game, Campbell is in the same situation he was last year -- and it looked very similar. Bad OL (with an added new wrinkle -- his center was shotgunning snaps in all sorts of unexpected places), bad WRs, checkdowns, pass rushers coming in untouched, etc.

Campbell did contribute some problems of his own -- notably on a run play where he slid 1 yard short of a 1st down that was there if he had gone forward. His best stats came with the game out of reach.

Same old stuff, for sure. But if your best WR is Louis Murphy and your OL is starting guys who wouldn't even make most teams, well, we do know what this movie looks like. We've seen it.

I have a question. Why are so many people so high on the Texans..saying things like "if we beat them"..The Texans have done nothing..the only they show is potential..and that's been thier MO for the past few years...just because they finally beat Indy it seems like people are starting to get scared...Indy has been thier nemsis for years and they had all of the ota's and training camp to get prepared for that game...so what they had a good year offensively last year..we've faced and held down top offenses before and we will again on Sunday. Fcuk the Texans we're 2-0 Sunday night.

and the way that we know the team has "the loser virus" is because they lost big against Dallas?

Posted by: beep-beep | September 14, 2010 2:47 PM |

I don't know, maybe only some of us are intelligent enough to "get" that the word "loser" was used in the context of an underachiever/underperformer as opposed to the first definition someone a little less sophisticated might assume.

Since the dicktion droogs sounded on me I get to sound on youse. It's almost impossible to eek out a win because scaredy catz invariably get the shti beet out of them. But their is some hope of eking out a win, ain't their?

Clinton said you put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her. You know, somebody got to spark her interest, or she's going to want somebody. I don't know what kind of woman won't, if you get to go and look at 53 men's dicks. Sylvia said Clinton is correct.

Clinton said they blowing that Haynesworth situation out of control. If you look, you know, it's like they single out Haynesworth, standing on the sideline and not being in the meeting. But I see five or six linemen, standing right across from Haynesworth, and nobody even mentions it. I think it's so much said. And they just want the division. You know? They want Haynesworth to be an outcast...but nobody in the locker room will. I think we know what Albert's capable of doing and we know he can help this team. We just got to get him to believe and understand he going out to play for the guys in the locker room. Whatever going with the front office or the media, we can't control that. But what we can control is the opportunity that we got to play for each other. My agent said Clinton is wrong.

I'm okay if we give up some yards to Houstons' ground game as long as Shaub and Johnson don't break loose.I'd like to see an improvement from sundays run d but overall I'd sacrifice a hundred on ground to two in the air.

offense_ I thought the line did okay but struggled with zone runs early, not all Clintons fault. I still believe the passing game is better than last year and signs of that should be evident this week

intangibles_ these coaching staffs remind me of livin in West Virginia, everybodys related to each other

not necessarily...there's a lot of white arse crackhead in Jamaica, Queens...

Posted by: jcnjcnj | September 14, 2010 3:33 PM
-------------------------------
that was typed wrong..i was calling you a crackhead..i just wanted to say it not that unusual to see a white person in Jamaica, Queens

"Man, since Portis basically came here he's had his host of haters. People (even when he was putting up 1400 yard seasons) have been on the "We shouldn't have traded Champ for Portis" garbage for a little while now.

It intensified to all out hate when he made those comments about Zorn (who had called him out in the media first FOR NO REASON) and when he called for Sellers benching (expressed to the coaching staff, not the media and appeared to be justified -- and still is).

Don't get it confused: People hate the guy for the pure sake of hating him. Like I've been saying: Haynesworth? I get it. Hate justified and understood (although I feel I don't need to bang my keyboard in disgust every time his name is mentioned like so many here) But Portis and Hall? Will never comprehend the hate, discontent, antagonism, loathing, malevolence, or whatever -- Ever.

Posted by: RedDMV "

Listen to Red trying to defend CP. I guess it's okay for CP to give his dumb opinions on dog fighting and this hot reporter situation, too?

Face it, the guy is a clown. I'm bitter because he's given opposing fanbases a lot of LOL pictures while he plays dressup on the sidelines. REAL INTIMIDATING!

Face it, my boy CHAMP BAILEY was the boss. Portis is a clown, but here's hoping he performs this year.

In the Peeps league, Future Winners got off to a big start and posted the week's highest score in his 98-80 win over 4-12. hakeem nicks led Future with 25, overcoming Matt Forte and his 32 for 4-12.

Fins Eat Skins slipped past He Nate Me 83-79 in a marquee QB duel. Tom Brady's 22 led the Fins and 16 from the Cardinal defense was a big help in overcoming 31 from Peyton Manning. Nate had the Jets defense on Monday night and made a good run at the win, but the deficit was just too big to overcome.

Defending champion Futaleufu Swimmers showed some early muscle, defeating the Omaha Steers 93-55. The Futa overcame -2 points from the kicker and defense. Chris Johnson, Jamaal Charles and Ronnie Brown combined for 60, but what makes the Futa a threat again ... on the bench was Arian Foster and his 44.

Monday Night's game began with the Jackalopes holding a 2 point lead over the Houston Buffaloes in the battle of father vs son. The Buffaloes, who had 22 each from Mendenhall and miles austin, needed 3 points from Dwayne Bowe. Didn't happen, as Bowe delivered a single point. Cutler and Greg Jennings led a balanced effort for the Jackalopes in their 77-76 win.

The South Hill Skulls entered Monday Night's final game 1 point ahead of the East Coast Shaft. The Shaft needed a point from the Charger defense. However, KC's big first half turned what might have been an easy win into a nail biter. Still, the Charger d delivered just enough, as the ECS won, 83-80. Wes Welker led ECS with 18. SHS had 5 scorers in double figures.

Noone Tampa dominated 35332's Zombie Hord, 86-41. Ochocinco led Tampa with 23, while Hord's 3 receivers combined for 1 point and his top scorer, Darren McFadden with 20, was on the bench.

Who cares? When they start to let men in female locker rooms, I'll cry a f_king river for Ms. Sainz.

This is nothing but a hot broad wanting some attention. C'mon, as attractive as she is, how could she think they were not going to say or do sexually suggestive stuff? From what I hear she donned a freakin' wedding dress and claimed she's marrying Tom Brady and was carried by football players.

Nah, no publicity stunt here... So what if she went out and got titty implants and does a little modeling. She's not trying to seek any limelight.

And before someone reels out the *[in full retard voice]* "So, that's like saying a woman deserved to be raped because she wore a short skirt"... Lemme stop you, and offer you a nice tall glass of STFU because a female hanging out n a locker room getting hit on and a female being raped are two totally different things.

The only time I found Portis to be entertaining was when he was reporting the assassination of one of his alter-egos, Southeast Jerome to a few members of the press that had gathered to hear his weekly assessments.

When he broke the bad news about the murder of Southeast Jerome, one reporter immediately questioned where that occurred.

Without hesitation or even looking in the direction of the inquiring reporter, Portis responded, "In Southeast."

Because DC has ZERO history of colorful players, who may or may not have eaten thrown up hot dogs, told a sitting supreme court justice to 'lighten up', or had a special shed for drinking after practice.

Over in the Hamster league, the defending champs, the Carroll St F Bombers struggled to an opening game win, 76-60 over Raljohn Realskins. Mendenhall and McFadden combined for 45 for F, while Raljohn's bench had 3 double digit scorers.

E Funk All Stars broke through with a big win, 101-88 over the Moss City Santanimals. Peyton's 32 led the Funk, with Ochocinco contributing 22. City had 5 players in double digits, led by Greg Jennings 14.

The Shanallenskins, the champs from 2 years ago (under the name Zornskins), met Dealer. Heading into Monday night's action, Dealer led by 8 with the Ravens defense still to play. Shanallenskins countered with Ryan Matthews and the Charger defense. The Ravens D proved better than both and Dealer prevailed, 86-78. Dealer had 21 from austin and 20 from Cutler. Shanallen had 34 from Forte in defeat. Still, the future looks encouraging for the former champ, as his bench had additional double digit scorers.

Coproliths dominated Butz for Utz, 87-24. Copro, a strong team last season, was led by Chris Johnson and his 32. Plus Copro's bench had Reggie Wayne and Shinacoe. Used wisely, Copro would have posted a score well into 3 digits. Butz also struggled with her starters, as 3 double digit scorers all sat out this game.

The Trippin' Billies, last year's runner-up overcame the Geelong Skins, 83-63. hakeem nicks had 25 and Philip Rivers 20 in the win.

Last year's regular season leader, the Cal Salmon, overcame two negative scorers to post the top total of the week in a 114-78 win over Koolaid Kids. Arian Foster's 44 led the Salmon, who got 20 more from Jamaal Charles and 18 from Wes Welker. The Kids got 22 from Tom Brady.

Anybody watch the game again? Cooley needs to be benched for missing a TON of blocks. No wonder we can't run the fcking ball with Cooley and Sellers trying to block we are screwed. Watch Cooley again...just watch.

Not taking away from Cooley's catches but watch the lack of blocking from him and Sellers...watch...

I don't hate anyone on the team. I like Portis to an extent but I don't see him as being that great. Dude is especially done at this point in his career. No moves. Talk to me when he jukes somebody. But oh, he's a good pass blocker...yawn. Meanwhile he never gets 20+ yard runs.

I'd take a STILL shutdown corner over him at this point.

I don't cheer for Portis to fail, I hope he proves me wrong and goes for 1500 yards. But it ain't happening at this point.

The point is that the franchise RB is a thing of the past. Look around the league, there's like four teams relying on one guy.

I'm not so sure Portis didn't have a lot to do with keeping other RB's out of DC so he could stay "the man". And he ain't no Stephen Jackson at this point either. We've hopped on the 3-4 move, now we need to switch to at LEAST a 2-back system. And not Larry Johnson/Ladell Betts/Shaun Alexander as the #2 LOL.

The point is that the franchise RB is a thing of the past. Look around the league, there's like four teams relying on one guy.

I'm not so sure Portis didn't have a lot to do with keeping other RB's out of DC so he could stay "the man". And he ain't no Stephen Jackson at this point either. We've hopped on the 3-4 move, now we need to switch to at LEAST a 2-back system. And not Larry Johnson/Ladell Betts/Shaun Alexander as the #2 LOL.

I don't cheer for Portis to fail, I hope he proves me wrong and goes for 1500 yards. But it ain't happening at this point.

Posted by: TheTruth11 | September 14, 2010 4:24 PM | Report abuse

Sure, I'd take a shutdown corner over CP also. But Champ is 7 years older also, no longer considered a shutdown corner. We got a premier rb for a shutdown corner. But neither of them are at the peak of their career now.

We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.

User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.